OLGAJAZZY

So last year around Fall time I had been mulling over an idea of making a fun new vest, but being generally not a vest person, I wanted to stick to things that I am most passionate about – versatility, something geometrical, one-of-a-kind and yet very wearable. I have been playing with basic geometric forms and pondering ideas, very much inspired by Issey Miyake and their new line of 132.5. Where all the clothing can be worn but creased at the lines that collapses/folds flat into a geometric shape… I have spoken to Cirilia who worked at Berroco at that time and she along with Norah Gaughan were very kind to make this design into reality! Thank you very much, ladies!!!

I have taken two circles and “Ensō” in translation from Japanese means a circle, it is also a very sacred symbol in their culture as it has many meanings and functions. I have imagined a puffy vest, almost like one of those down type that you would put on over your clothes in the winter for a ride in a car or a chilly walk in the evening to keep extra warm. To make the puffy look I have decided to go with a welted stitch pattern over a solid color yarn, because it gives volume and depth and a pretty stitch pattern. I have worked out a way for this vest to be reversible without actually making 4 circles and seaming them. Ensō Vest is worked flat using short-rows and when you are done, you simply graph the live stitches together and voila – it’s already folded at the outer edge and you have doubled fabric!

You even have opening all around the armholes if you wish to stuff it with fiber fill to make it more voluminous. So two identical circles, joint at the part of an outer fold to create a back seam. What’s more fun is that knit fabric is so elastic it allows you various ways of styling this vest of even fold it some more and turn it in this oversized scarf.

I know timing may seem odd talking about this design today, but I have published this pattern back in January and due my hectic schedule I wasn’t able to tell you about it’s little story! And I’m really proud of this design. I know Winter has come to our knitter friends down under and it’s never too late to start knitting for the colder season, because afterall that is the time when we need and appreciate our warm knits most.

Some specs
Yarn: Berroco Peruvia (100% wool from Peru), in Vino Tinto colorway 7153;
680 – 1240 yards (622 – 1134 m)
Needle: US 8 – 5 mm
Sizes available:
To fit bust sizes 31.5, 33, 34.5, 36, 37.5, 39, 40.5, 42, 43.5″

Find it on Ravelry

$ 7.00

I think I have lost track of all the comments and compliments that poured into my inboxes for the past 4 days! Thank you very much for your gracious and kind compliments on Cable Braided Necklace. I am truly humbled that so many of you have found it amazing and have made it already. That little technique does go even further, but I hope to show it to you possibly next week. With this blog and with projects and deadlines and holiday craze it’s hard to keep promises. But we shall see!

Today I want to share a skeleton from my closet… that is something I have knit and worn and loved for many months and years now. It was planned and designed even much earlier prior to its final execution. But a staple that every wardrobe needs. Female or male. It’s rather unisex in style and simplicity, the overall textured look of it – effortless and quick. Dress it up or dress it down, for a ride down the country or belt it with a skirt and pair of heels.

FLOGS jacket being chunky shows a great example of Garter stitch and its great versatility. It’s very elastic and stretchy. With the right choice of yarn it can easily be that go-to cardigan or jacket for you.

For Love Of Garter Stitch.

Worked top down featuring circular yoke and seamless construction as sleeves are worked in the round. To accommodate many tastes, there are two various length instructions provided for the sleeves. Bracelet length and regular full length.

The stand up collar is great as it can reveal a little and hide some when needed. It’s rather wide, so a scarf can easily be worn around your neck and still be visible!

Here are some pattern specifications.

Flogs Jacket

I used Laines du Nord Korall, which is a discontinued yarn, but one can use any bulky weight yarn.

Gauge
15 stitches and 30 rows = 4 inches in over washed and blocked swatch in Garter stitch

Required yardage
830 – 1670 yards (759 – 1527 m)

Needle size US 10 (6 mm)

Comes in 15 sizes.

Finished bust measurements: 28.25, 30.5, 32.5, 34.5, 36.75, 38.5, 40.5, 42.5, 44.75, 46.5, 48.5, 50.5, 52.75, 54.5, 56.5”

Queue it up on Ravelry

USD 7.50

Happy Knitting and Happy Holidays everyone!!

Miura Cowl is named after a folding method of origami tessellation. It represents positive and negative spaces, but naturally gathering and keeping the voluminous look and while stretched it exposes textural beauty of knit and purl stitches arranged on it’s surface. It’s completely reversible as both inside and out have same patterning. I can visualize wearing this with a basic peacoat or a coat to bring up the interest to the neckline and balance out the outfit. Truth is it might have been getting real cold in some regions, but today it’s 85F and just two days ago it was 50.. Autumn is creeping in slowly in Japan but surprising Indian Summer days are the only reminders that are left of the past heat. It’s been steadily raining and I had a chance to wear my cowl out (with my new rainboots no less). I’d recommend avoiding busy prints to go with it. Polished minimalism and texture is what this accessory is trying to convey.. But also switch around the yarn weight, it would add more volume and expressed texture.

I certainly had fun taking photos, one can only imagine how creative you can get in order accomplish something all by yourself!

Materials
Habu textiles Lambswool linen, 52gr or any DK weight yarn approx. 210 yds. Color Lavender grey #11

US 4 (3.5 mm) circular needle

Queue it on Ravelry

The pattern contains chart as well as written instructions for those who don’t like or don’t feel comfortable with charts.

USD 3.50

So everything you plan is going in zig zags back and forth, sometimes I wish I really had a chance to be one-project-at a time knitter/designer, yet I can’t. I have that eery feeling that if I don’t at least swatch and document that design in my sketchbook, that idea would float away. But this way I can revisit it and get working through it once time permits. Wonders of a designer brain!!!

Summer in Japan has indeed been very eventful in that department, this country is so amazing, I admit I’ve never had such creative forces surrounding me. It’s in every single thing, from a manhole cover in a very intricate pattern crazy enough to stop a photo of it and to bizarre customs and dress codes.

This past June while it was a rainy season in Japan I’ve got to travel back to the States for TNNA and honestly it was lots of work and fun at the same time… More on that later, on how many wonderful designer friends I’ve got to see and meet as well as yarn shop owners who are thrilled as I am about our book Ori Ami Knits:Fiber Geometry! So excited, that we actually sold out and now we are on our second edition folks!!! And pre-orders are up again!! This makes me incredibly happy, that people of the industry and knitters found the designs and contents to their taste! We couldn’t have done it without you, I know we couldn’t have!! So Thank You for your support!!!

Amidst travel I have been working on lots more new patterns, but this wonderful weather of 90-100F has been a big distraction recently. As we live relatively close to the beach now…trying to enjoy some of those hot days there.

Today I am going to share with you a new design I have introduced at TNNA called Infinite Loop. I am particularly excited about this one as it got tremendous response and it’s something I’ve always wanted to have in my wardrobe. It can be worn in over 15 (!!!) ways. It’s lightweight enough to carry around in a purse and has no season to it! Moreover this garment is set to launch my wholesale line of patterns. Means that if you are a yarn shop and would like to carry Olgajazzy patterns, you now can! Just contact me.

It’s knit using light fingering or heavy laceweight yarn, in my case I’ve used Habu Textiles N-35A, which is 100% rayon with viscose sizing but only comes in 2 colors for time being, insane in yardage, very affordable and possibly a perfect marriage for this design and yarn. It comes in a skein and feels very wire-y and crisp, but wait till you soak it in water and let is dry, it has features of bamboo silky drape but yet still holding that crisp structure.

But if you would like to use your stash this yarn would be easy to substitute because of the ginormous lace yarn market we have, if it would be for another Habu Textiles yarn it can be A-174 Cotton Gima, but out of other generic yarns how about my new personal favorite Madelinetosh Prairie. I must say I’ve been replying some folks on Ravelry considering their yarn choice for this, so please if you need help or advice, please don’t hesitate to email me to PM or leave a comment, I would love to assist you if I can!

The pattern I’ve written to accomodate 16 sizes ranging from 28-58″ bust sizes.

Needle size: US 3 (3.25 mm)

Gauge: 24 sts and 36 rows in 4″ over Stockinette Stitch

Yardage required: 2280-4560 yds

Pattern price: USD $10

[A little note here, some were asking why the price is so high for this, but I have a simple reply. When you have a piece of clothing you can wear so many possible ways – this is a bargain. If you buy a single pattern, it can only be worn the way it was meant to be. Even if out of 15+ ways to wear Infinite loop you only like 2-3 ways, you still win!]

All possible pictures won’t fit into any blog post. So for that reason pattern pdf has variations documented on a dress form. Please check the styling video below how many ways this garment can be worn. Funny thing is, since I’ve made this video, I’ve found at least another 2 ways! SO please experiment!!

Now onto more pattern writing and knitting! Mata-ne!

As Volcano in Iceland keeps spewing ash and causing havoc of disastrous proportions over Europe it makes me only hope and wish that nearby Fuji doesn’t start doing the same as it is also way overdue and considering the wind and proximity – it certainly won’t be a pretty sight to see. At orientation week they informed us that last time Fuji-san did erupt, it threw up boulder-sized of a building/houses right into this area, which is pretty darn close!

Observing all that madness I kept knitting away on my new design this week. Ever since knitting of Ori Ami Knits garments was complete I was sketching more ideas and desire to explore deeper and beyond the concept we have created. With monochromatic influence of the upcoming season I have decided to challenge myself to try expressing depth of my knit garments through a different angle.

This one is Ashen, collection of colors, fibers, stitches, details all in one pullover. This is coming to life fast and will be done just in time for warmer days this week. Deep in heart, I hope to wear this as these dark clouds of Japanese mountains descending, so they just *stay* in a garments, while we bask in the warmth! (I really wish!)

Most of you know by or have read earlier that me and amazing photographer and graphic designer Vanessa Yap-Einbund/coloursknits with a contribution from Kirsten Johnstone have been working for the past and this year on a publication. Which is a book, a digital and printed one. After obscene amount of work that we shared I must admit, producing a book is not an easy job at all. It is very demanding and very meticulous. Hours and hours of discussing the details, then actually arranging them, making them, producing, writing, editing, marketing and a million of other things to go with it. I would like to confess that I have learnt so much from this experience thus far. Sometimes it came at the cost of spending less time with loved ones and friends, but they all turned out being very understanding and helpful, for which I am deeply appreciative and thankful.

Last week we have started sending out the first installment of the digital book. We have named our first chapter – Practical geometry. Here is a short preview of the garments. There is much more to follow, that reminds me that I need to go back to work right now and leave you with these to ponder. Please let us know your thoughts.

We have also started Ori Ami Knits group on Ravelry. (You need to be a Ravelry member to log in).

If you are interested in subscribing to the book and have questions please go here.
Remember it is a limited edition publication and we have been taking subscriptions since October 2009. So you may want to hurry to reserve your copy today. =)

We do offer wholesale as well, please email info@oriamknits.com for a wholesale package.

photo copyright © 2010 Ori Ami Knits

Review by Laura of Newedist is here

I wish I had time to watch tv , but when I did have it I certainly was sucked into the America’s Next Top Model show to see what real hardships are for someone to become a model and not just to have a pretty face and be tall!

I just saw over the Interweave knits facebook that an amateur model that was modeling for the magazine and happen to be also one modeling my Petal Halter design back in Spring 2009 issue! I am so happy for Jennifer, so no I need time to watch it and root for the model who did such an amazing job before!

With this also came a realization that I actually didn’t get to blog about this design of mine more extensively. It has been my first for Interweave Knits and coincidental on some part. It has been knit within a week and yarn choices where 1 out of 3 and at the very last minute everything was late on my behalf as this took place last year during the hardest times in my life. Nowadays I look back and think to myself, I wasn’t entirely there… or was I so into work that actually helped me cope.
But this outcome proves that working under pressure and when you are sometimes not happy with the other emotional part of your life it was entirely worthy being invested in a project.

Petal Halter has been inspired just from a sneak of a quilted sewn couture piece, that was very distant from my knit interpretation, but yet it triggered the right ideas and execution methods were well on the way to be figured out…

I am very thankful to Eunny Jang and Lisa Shroyer who dealt with me during that time to this garment happen and make it on the pages of IK. With each experience, you learn more and more!

And Here are some links to Knitting Daily website where Eunny was kind enough to put a workshop on the Petal halter and show different possibilities for a wearer.

As recently as June I have finished my Petal halter in grey that I wear a lot this summer ! And it is great to see how same garment looks different in a different shade!
Happy knitting!

And yet again Jennifer has done amazing job!
ANTM starts September 7.

First, I need to thank all of my readers and supporters, I am so happy you loved Grecian top! I must admit one of mine is going to live with my mother, who is actually very hard to impress, but she loved it so! So now all need to get to knitting as I can’t wait to see more of them knit up in the wild! Now onto a new adventure!

Trifecta Scarf – I think this was a project I was pushing through my holidays. Knitting it everywhere I went, even on that darn Red Line (I was once stuck for an hour and a half underground!) but having a blast at this stitch pattern!

I was told more detailed photos of the scarf will be posted shortly on the Spud & Chloe website.

But here is my swatch so you can see the details. It is in the different yarn that the original sample was made and is just scanned in the photo below. You can also make it into a shawl if desired, just add more of those repeats.

This line is utterly amazing, all is machine washable and oh soooo soft! I want to thank Sylvia who offered this amazing opportunity to work with this yarn and the company!
So in gratitude to all this I want to announce a little giveaway!

Spud & Chloe Fine yarn enough to make Trifecta scarf in the colors of the original sample as well as the printed pattern for it!
This yarn is 80% superwash merino and 20% silk. Yummm!

I can’t wait to see someone knit this up and have full Spud & Chloe experience. I missed TNNA this June, but I heard that their display was one of the most creative in the show.. so sorry to have missed it, but caught a glimpse on it on various blogs.

In fact, I want to continue working with this yarn, even though it is fine and tiny needle eat up your time, but it is so much fun, that it doesn’t even matter!

So in order to get your crafty hands on this, please leave me a comment by midnight, 26 June, Friday (linked to your blog or your Ravelry name) so I would have a way of contacting you. Then will determine a winner out of a hat!

A while back, almost 2 years now I think, I have finished this top I made out of Elsebeth Lavold Hempathy, it was a designing attempt for something summery, simple, but enough detail and flair to be interesting. At that time I didn’t happen to take any notes on the process and it was when a whole lot of knitters started requesting this pattern. I tried to resize it from what I had to work with and last month I actually bit the bullet and have re-knit the whole top from a different yarn, but having learnt so much more since way back when the original was created, the pattern turned out quite pleasing!

And now I am so proud to present Grecian top [Ravelry link] to all of you, readers, knitters and lurkers 😀

For those of you who may find doing applied cable edging a challenge, I have updated the tutorial on it! So it would be easier to knit through thinking that you have some back support. If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to email me to address on the sidebar.


I want to thank all of knitters who encouraged me and never stopped bugging me for the pattern! It has been nominated for Official Sexy Knitters Club KAL a while back, hopefully you are still passionate about this project!

Non-Ravelry members can purchase this through buttons below